Pairing: Chris and Joey
Words: articulate; dejected; loathe; nuisance


Chris drops down onto the couch, falling into the cushions like
someone cut his strings.  "Lance is fucking AJ."

Joey's jaw drops open and it's several minutes before he can choke
out, "R-right now?"

"Articulate much?  Yeah, right now.  On *my* bus, too.  It's just
plain rude."

"You can stay on this bus," Joey says.

Chris lets out a large sigh.  "You're a pal, Joe.  But I don't
think Justin and JC are just gonna grab some popcorn and watch the
sideshow."

"What will they do?" Joey asks.

"Dunno.  Knowing C, he might just wanna join in.  J'll scream to
high heaven though."

"So, they're gonna come over here, too?"

"Yup.  Just think of it, Joey.  Constant Backstreet Boy ass
fucking, up close and personal."

Joey sighs a little.  "Don't take this wrong, but Jup can be kind
of... a nuisance."

"Well, duh.  So can I.  What's your point?"

"Nothing, nothing," Joey says, waving his hands to ward off Chris's
glare.

"No, I wanna know.  What're you getting at?  If you got some plan
for dealing with this, then I wanna know what it is before I have
to deal with the wrath of Justin."

"Tell the driver to start driving?" Joey suggests sheepishly.

Chris eyes him.  "You realize that we're gonna be dead if they ever
figure out it was our idea to leave them all behind like that."

"Yes.  But they won't be left behind.  The other bus won't leave
until everyone's accounted for.  Don't you ever listen to their
radios?"

"No, not like that.  I *know* that.  I mean, stuck together all on
the same bus."  Chris looks thoughtful.  "Although I suppose they
could ride with the band."

"They could, yeah."

Chris jumps up.  "It's settled.  We're outta here."  He heads to
the front of the bus.

Joey grins.  He doesn't, like, *loathe* Justin or anything.  He
really likes the kid, usually.  But when they share a bus, Justin
goes on and on about how many calories are in everything Joey makes
and everything he eats.  It's fucking rude.

Chris comes back, bouncing, and throws himself across the couch,
head in Joey's lap.  He grins up at him.  "It's all settled.  He
didn't want to go with it at first, but I looked all dejected. 
That didn't work either, but I slipped him a hunsky, and he went
for it."

Joey laughs and starts scratching Chris's scalp, breaking up the
clumps of gel.  "My hero."

"You know it."

Joey smiles.  "You know, Lance and AJ aren't exactly stupid."

"And?"

"Sometimes they have good ideas."

"Missing the point here, Joe.  Unless you're saying we should call
Howie and Nick and ask them over to spread the interband love?"

"Nah.  I'm saying, baby you and me ain't nothing but mammals, so
let's do it like they do on the discovery channel."

"Sweet talker," Chris says admiringly and sits up so he can take
off his shirt.